1211.3328 (Alexander Reinmüller et al.)

Emergent self-propulsion at low Reynolds number    [PDF]

Alexander Reinmüller, Hans Joachim Schöpe, Thomas Palberg

We here demonstrate the experimental realization of inanimate micro-swimmer complexes showing emergent self-propulsion at low Reynolds number Re < 10^(-4) in quasi 2D colloidal systems. Guided by the substrate, self-organized propulsion occurs for up to 25min with typical velocities of 1-3 \mu m/s, while none of the involved constituents shows self-propulsion on its own.

View original: http://arxiv.org/abs/1211.3328